(NMSA) — After more than 20 years, Leo Wania gets to compete in the Pacific Games, again.
“The last time I participated in the Pacific Games was in 1999 when the event was hosted in Guam,” said Wania, who represented the NMI in what was then known as the South Pacific Games.
Wania raced in the 1,500 in the 11th edition of the quadrennial event when he just graduated from Marianas High School. This year, Wania is back at the Pacific Games and will be the NMI’s lone triathlete.
“I am so excited to be competing again in the Pacific Games in a different event. I joined the Pacific Mini Games last year on Saipan, but I know the competition in the Solomons will have more athletes and will be tougher,” said Wania.
In last year’s mini games, the triathlete was part of the NMI team that won the bronze medal in the aquathlon event, teaming up with Heather Brook, Kathy Ruszala, and Isaiah Aleksenko.
Competing in the solo triathlon aquathlon and triathlon races in the Solomons, Wania is very realistic with his goal, which is to finish strong and complete the Olympic distance course. He will race on Nov. 29 and 30.
“I love the Olympic distance course (1.5m swim, 40K bike, and 10K run), it suits me better. However, the challenge will be the swim part, which will be done in the pool. I trained in the open water here, but I did buoy swims to somehow get ready for the pool course in the Solomons,” Wania said.
Beside the NMI’s lone entry to the triathlon and aquathlon events, the two competitions will also feature athletes from Fiji, Guam, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Tahiti.
Wania and the rest of Team Marianas are scheduled to leave for the Solomons on a charter flight Wednesday morning.
Team Marianas’s participation in the 2023 Pacific Games is supported by Joeten Daidai Foundation, Triple J, Crowne Plaza Resort, IT&E, IP&E, Tan Siu Lin Foundation, Mobil, Tan Holdings, and McDonald’s.
